Life in Brief: New Macy’s collection; processed foods and cancer; Hints from Heloise

Friday

Feb 23, 2018 at 2:52 PM

Collection melds modesty, style

Macy’s has released the Verona Collection, melding modesty and style in 19 pieces of clothing including flowy tops with sleeves, long cardigans and colorful hijabs.

This collection comes from Lisa Vogl, a fashion photographer who called it “a platform for a community of women to express their personal identity and embrace fashion that makes them feel confident on the inside and outside.”

With a price range from $12.95 to $84.95, Vogl said the collection was inspired by her own experience trying to find clothes both fashionable and modest. Pieces are available at macys.com. More is available on Verona’s website, including tutorials on hijab styles for special occasions.

— Alison Bowen

Chicago Tribune

Hints from Heloise

Many ways to use lint-free coffee filter

Heloise says: Did you know that coffee filters are lint-free? They’re also cheap (love it!) and readily available. Here are uses for these handy helpers:

• A towel to clean windows and mirrors.

• A cover for foods in the microwave.

• A pad to remove nail polish.

• A blotting paper for makeup touch-ups during the day.

• A strainer to remove sediment from juices.

• A buffer between breakables when packing or moving.

• A “bowl” for snacks at movie time.

— King Features

Processed foods linked to cancer

A diet of fizzy drinks, packaged baked goods, instant noodles, sugary cereals, candy and ready-made meals could raise your cancer risk, says a study in the British Medical Journal that found an association between such “ultra-processed” foods — typically high in sugar, fat and salt but low in nutrition — and increased risk of cancer.

Scientists based in France and Brazil analyzed medical records and eating habits of nearly 105,000 middle-aged French men and women. Findings suggest that a 10 percent increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in a person’s diet was correlated with a 12 percent higher risk of overall cancer and an 11 percent higher risk of breast cancer.

The researchers accounted for known cancer risk factors, and noted that the subjects who had the highest ultra-processed food intake were also more likely to be smokers, had lower levels of education, were less physically active and consumed more calories.

This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, researchers acknowledge.

— Joe Dziemianowicz

New York Daily News

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